Biography

At once heartfelt and sophisticated, Jackie Bristow combines subtle but beautiful melodies and hooks that hypnotise the listener, demand complete surrender and then stick around with the backbone of a real friend.



Born in New Zealand but then transplanted to Australia and now the United States with a guitar, suitcase and songs, Jackie travels light but packs a heavy punch.



Jackie has had the honour to be the opening act for many of her musical hero's. Opening for Bonnie Raitt in New Zealand on her 2013 "Slipstream" tour was a dream-come-true. Jackie was invited back 2017 to join Bonnie Raitt on her "Dig in Deep" tour. Jackie opened for Foreigner 2017, Tommy Emmanuel and Steve Miller Band in the US 2016.



Jackie has also been the opening act for many other well-known names over the years: Marc Cohn, John Oates, John Waite, Bettye Lavette, B.J. Thomas, Joe Ely, Marcia Ball, Charlie Robison, Rick Springfield, Bob Schneider, Jimmy Lafave, Euge Groove, Ruthie Foster, Howard Jones, Herbert Gronemeyer, Phoebe Snow, Art Garfunkel, Daniel Lanois, Madeline Peryoux, Jimmy Webb, Paul Williams, and Shawn Mullins, among others.



Jackie's live performances captivate audiences. One reviewer of her show on the Tommy Emmanuel tour wrote: "Opening for a musical giant like Emmanuel would seem a daunting task, but Bristow was relaxed as her soulfully-seductive melodies reverberated within the auditorium. Her beautiful voice and earnest songs resonated with the audience, and they applauded her eagerly. Near the end of the show, Bristow joined Emmanuel on stage for an amazing duet that received a standing ovation."



Jackie’s songs have been used repeatedly in Australian and New Zealand film and television hit shows such as "Go Girls," "The Secret Life of Us," "Home and Away," "Outrageous Fortune," "Shortland Street," and "Go Big." Her original song "This is Australia" won Tourism Australia’s nationwide competition and was featured in its worldwide promotional campaigns for three years. Songs from the "Crazy Love" and "Freedom" albums were programmed into rotation at 7,000 Starbucks locations nationwide in the US.



In 2014, Jackie was awarded New Zealand Southland Music Ambassador of the Year.



Jackie has proven to be an artist who shows no signs of stopping. In 2017 Jackie relocated to the music mecca, Nashville, Tennessee where she has started recording her 5th album ready for release in 2019,

working with producers Viktor Krauss and Rick Price.

Jackie released her fourth studio album "Shot of Gold" in 2016. It charted in her home country New Zealand and received critical acclaim.